Ballerina d’Oro battled rival Early On through the final furlong before getting her nose down on the wire first to win the G3 Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday, 5 April.
It was the first Graded Stakes win for the three-year-old Medaglia d’Oro filly, who had in-the-money finishes in both the G2 Davona Dale and G2 Demoiselle Stakes prior to her start in the Gazelle. The victory also earned Ballerina d’Oro 100 points toward a start in the G1 Kentucky Oaks in May.
Sent off as the favorite in the field of six, Ballerina d’Oro broke a step slowly and was settled into fourth, just a few lengths off a moderate pace set by the dueling Vanilla Sundae and Early On. Ballerina d’Oro continued to stalk the leaders into the far turn as she swung four-wide for a clear run at the leaders.
Given her cue at the five-sixteenths pole, Ballerina d’Oro drew alongside Early On to battle for the lead as Vanilla Sundae melted. Ballerina d’Oro and Early On continued to battle through the stretch, and despite lugging in and not switching leads until deep stretch, Ballerina d’Oro prevailed at the wire by a determined nose.
Ballerina d’Oro was bred in Kentucky by Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds LLC and is out of In the Moonlight (by Tapit). Second dam is Moonlight Sonata (Carson City), winner of the G3 Arlington-Washington Lassie. In the Moonlight is a half-sister to Wilburn (Bernardini), winner of the G2 Indiana Derby and Beethoven (Sky Mesa), winner of the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. The immediate family also boasts multiple Graded Stakes winner Grand Sonata (G2 Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes) and Moonlight d’Oro (G3 Las Virgenes Stakes), both by Medaglia d’Oro.
Ballerina d’Oro is one of several recent Stakes winners for Medaglia d’Oro, joining Spirit of St Louis, winner of the G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational; the undefeated Good Cheer, winner of the G2 Fair Grounds Oaks; and Nitrogen, winner of the G3 Florida Oaks. Overseas, the stallion is represented by Meshtri, winner of both the G2 Al Maktoum Mile and the Listed Dubai Creek Mile at Meydan.
Medaglia d’Oro is standing the 2025 breeding season at Jonabell Farm for $75,000, stands and nurses.
